Thrombus is a blood clot that forms in the walls of blood vessels. Blood clots are actually useful for stopping bleeding, in response to injury or injury. But when it occurs outside of these conditions, thrombus can cause serious health problems.
Blood functions to supply oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Without blood, the tissues and organs of the body will be damaged so that they are unable to work properly. That is why, disruption in blood flow due to thrombus can menimbultkan various diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
Understanding Thrombus
Blood clots occur when the blood hardens become solid. Blood clots that form in arteries and veins are called thrombus.
Thrombus can form in any part of the body, then it can be released and carried away by blood flow to other parts of the body, and cause blockages in the area. This thrombus that is released and causes blockages is called an embolism.
Blockages in the arteries can block oxygen intake to the tissues in the area. Lack of oxygen in this tissue is called ischemia. If ischemia is not treated immediately, tissue damage can occur, even tissue death.
While blockages in veins, will cause fluid buildup and swelling, such as in varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Some things that can increase the risk of blood clots or thrombus forming are:
- Overweight or obese.
- Smoke.
- More than 60 years old.
- Having a blood family who suffer from a disease caused by thrombus.
- Have experienced blood clots.
- Being recovered after surgery.
- Have undergone hormone replacement therapy or use hormonal contraception.
- Are pregnant or have just given birth.
- Suffers from cancer or is undergoing cancer treatment.
- Having a disease or condition that causes blood to clot easily, such as antiphospholipid syndrome or high cholesterol.
Symptoms of Thrombus
Blood clots can cause several symptoms, but the symptoms are influenced by the location of the blockage. The following are the symptoms of thrombus based on the part whose blood flow is interrupted:
1. Blockage in leg veins (deep vein thrombosis / DVT)
This condition causes pain, redness, and swelling in the legs and feet. Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) usually only appear on one limb with varying severity, according to the size of the blood clot.
2. Blockage of the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
This condition causes chest pain, shortness of breath suddenly, and rapid pulse. In addition, vomiting of blood can be found. Pulmonary embolism is a condition that needs immediate medical attention.
3. Blockage of the brain arteries
This condition causes sudden and severe headaches. In addition, stroke symptoms can occur, such as loss of speech and vision, difficulty walking, and weakness (paralysis) on one side of the body.
4. Blockages in the heart arteries
This condition causes symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain that radiates to the neck or arm, shortness of breath, nausea, indigestion, and cold sweat.
5. Blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the intestines
This condition causes abdominal pain, nausea, and the presence of blood in the stool. This symptom is not typical because it is often also found in viral infections and food poisoning.
Thrombus Prevention and Management
Thrombus can be prevented by actively moving, avoiding sitting or lying down for too long, drinking enough water, stopping smoking, and maintaining ideal body weight. In addition, thrombus can also be prevented by treating certain diseases that can increase the risk of thrombus formation, such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
If the thrombus has formed, here's how to handle it:
- Thrombolytic injection of drugs to dissolve blood clots.
- Giving blood thinning drugs.
- Surgery to remove blood clots (embolectomy).
- Surgery to widen blocked arteries. One procedure is angioplasty, which is to place a hollow tube in the artery to hold it open.
- Operations to divert blood flow around the blocked arteries, such as heart bypass surgery.
Thrombus is a dangerous condition. Symptoms can vary greatly, depending on the part of the body where blood flow is blocked by thrombus.
Immediately consult a doctor if there are complaints of pain that radiates to the shoulders, arms, back or jaw, rapid heartbeat, chest pain or tightness, difficulty breathing, numbness in the face, arms, or legs, coughing up blood, and difficulty speaking or blurry vision suddenly.
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